Keanu Keen's match report...
It was a frustrating afternoon for Walsall at the Banks’s stadium as they drew 1-1 to Crewe Alexandra in a match that Anthony Forde says “they dominated”.After a draw last week to Peterborough, Walsall would have wanted to get back to winning ways at home.
Walsall meant business from the kick off as their wide players were bursting forward at every given opportunity and won a corner in the first few minutes which Anthony Forde whipped in to find Tom Bradshaw for his eighth goal of the season.
Anthony Forde caused so many problems for Crewe especially in the first half, he even said “I was happy with my performance” and “we could have got four or five”.
Crewe Alexandra were second best for most of the match and occasionally threatened on the counter attack, but scored their best chance through a Ben Nugent volley from 25 yards.
Walsall will be disappointed with how they conceded the equalising goal which came from a free kick that Walsall failed to clear.
After the match the manager Dean Smith said that “it was a poor free kick that we gave away.”
Walsall have improved vastly from last season and unfortunately missed the chance to go top of the table but Anthony Forde said “we are delighted to be in this position”.
A very one sided affair at the Banks’s shows the quality in Walsall’s team but they could not get that second goal, Dean Smith who showed his frustration by saying “at times I thought there was a force field around their goal” because they had various shots on goal.
Ben Garratt was the main reason that Crewe got anything from the game and Walsall winger Kieran Morris, who made a fantastic cameo, was unlucky not get on the scoresheet.
The manager praised his impact by saying “I thought that he was a constant threat”.
Dean Smith praised the wide players in his squad saying “we are blessed in them areas”.
Walsall threatened various times from set pieces in the match and Dean Smith voiced his pleasure by saying “I thought that we were a threat from all corners”.
Overall Walsall can't be too disappointed as they are in an automatic promotion spot and are difficult to beat.
Anthony Forde even claims “we really do play good football.”